Lunar Eclipse
by SensuallyPassionate
Summary: Patty is about to marry Harold and is pregnant with twins. Harold and Patty are blissfully happy but one of them still has feelings for an old love. This old love is pregnant herself and engaged to be married to a man she least expects with feelings clinging onto an old relationship that ended sour. Can these two find each other or have they already found TRUE love?
1. Prologue

**A/N: I am back after a LONG hiatus. I have been tweaking and finalizing all the smidge of minute details for the release of my OWN book. *blush* This kitten isn't the next James Patterson or anything but the next Zane…maybe *wink*. **_**Big Girls Don't Cry**_** will be released December 2013! If interested in any details feel free to message me. And as always, thank you kittens for your support and love over the years. Means a lot. **

**Disclaimer: I received an interesting PM from a member of the HA! Community and to be honest, I feel this applies to a few others since this is not the first PM I received from people who are disturbed from my fictions. I write GRAPHIC, DARK, SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, and RAW. If that's not for you and you prefer to leave your childhood intact, I suggest you click the back button and find something else. If you are mature enough to read adult situations and adult fanfiction and don't mind your childhood characters you once crushed on to be taken into a different perspective, by all means….keep calm and read on.**

**Enjoy my dark, twisted fantasies. –SP**

**Chapter theme song: 'Friend of Mine' by: Kelly Price**

**Prolouge**

"Oh, Patty, my, my, you simply look stunning in that Adrianna Papelle dress!" I lied through my teeth, sipping my black coffee. Its bitter taste coursed down my throat in a much similar fashion like the aspirin I had taken earlier this morning. It was God awful, much like her dress.

She smiled, pushing a bushel of her split-ended brown hair behind her pearl studded ears with a blush. "You think Harold would like this one?"

I nodded, eyes glossed over with false delight. I looked at her budding tummy. If she had not lost a couple of pounds before summer had ended, I would have easily thought she had just gained a bunch of weight. "Yes, the ruching hides all your flaws." Her face fell. "Not that you have any of course."

Her smile returned as the bridal consultant swept in from the East with a tulle birdcage veil and her annoying cackling laugh. "Oh Patty, that is certainly the one!" I scoffed, she said that about the last five dresses the girl had put on. All she was concerned about was that commission check she would benefit from by the end of the evening.

"You think so, August?"

"Yes, the detail on the bodice hides the baby quite nicely and slims you neatly."

"Do you think I should still opt out of a white dress for my wedding? Isn't white the more…traditional color?"

I loudly sighed, earning both of their side glances. I was ready to go. "Red is totally in my dear, Patty. Besides, every bride in America wears white, why not be different; be bold!"

"Aren't you wearing white for your wedding, Rhonda?"

I grew mute for a moment, quickly recovering. "Curly simply will not act sane if there is any pop of vibrant red or orange in the wedding. I have to keep him from going simply batty you know."

Patty scanned me for a moment before that familiar smile came back, she buying my lie. To be honest, I could care less about what Curly had thought about the wedding. I did not want to marry him anyway. My groom was about to marry…

"Oh Patty, let's ring you up and get you checked out so we can enjoy these fabulous snacks the owner had brought down for you! I kept them from you so you would not spill any crème sauce on the fabric and damage the dismal display selection we have." August smiled. "I know how hungry you must be, eating for such a little angel."

"Two little angels actually." She beamed with joy, blushed a deeper shade of coral that made me want to hurl. I almost forgot she was pregnant with twin, boys at that. "Harold and I could not be happier. He has been looking forward to this since I first told him."

The consultant squealed, clapping as she grabbed Patty's flabby arm and hurried her back to the dressing room to finish the sale. She quickly told me that the two of them would return shortly and to make myself comfortable on the Victorian loveseat and find home in the tray of gourmet cookies and herbal tea. Gourmet my ass! These were straight from the general store and put on some fake china to appeal to customers to make them want to buy a dress from this sorry boutique. I only buy Vera.

I plopped down onto the cushion, snatching a fashion magazine to read before I grew bored. I caught sight of my emerald cut diamond ring. Thaddeus had wanted my engagement ring to be as special as I was. I was always a sucker for his romantic punch lines. I twiddled with the band for a bit, getting lost in my own thoughts; wondering how I got here in the first place. Was I really that awful as a child?

As foul as my mood towards Patty may be, I genuinely do like her as a person. Patty is a kind, sweet woman that, even though she scares me and is a rough as they come, wouldn't hurt a fly…okay maybe she would. Since our friendship slowly blossomed the year our parents both sent us to the debutante school for polished fine young ladies- unbeknownst to the both of us- Patty and I slowly grew closer over the years as my fake, phony friendships with Nadine and Sheena waned. I always felt relatively superior to Patty, that being the main reason I would even be seen with her from time to time back in middle-school, but with my maturity and life-experiences, I have grown a little less vain, less shallow, and more open-minded….a little.

However, Patty and Harold…that completely crossed the line and even though it's something we don't discuss, it's something she and I know is slowly weakening our short-lived friendship.

It's a long story I rather not get into, especially with the guilt trip I always feel since I am now engaged to be married to another man I love, Curly.

There was a small tap at the large glass of the boutique storefront window, startling me into a frenzy. I nearly spilt my coffee on my mauve cashmere sweater. The nerve of some people! I was about ready to give an intense lip lashing before I caught sight of the man before the soft glass pelted with the husky drops of late October rain. I caught my breath in my throat, calming my nerves before I smoothed out my ensemble and went to open the locked door. I almost forgot we had made an afterhours appointment since Patty was self-conscious.

"Thanks Rhonda." His voice wafted through the room as his presence filled it to the brim. Soft kisses of rain masked his leather jacket at the Burberry scarf I had bought him for his birthday gently curled against his neck. He closed his umbrella, placing it into the holder before removing his jacket to embrace me in an overdue hug. I smiled, enjoying the scent of his earthy cologne and warmth of his wool sweater. He pulled away with a warm smile. "Don't you look…uppity today."

I swatted him away with a playful hand, careful not to linger too long. "Shut up, fat boy."

"You've been spending too much time with your maid of honor I take it."

I frowned. "Helga was a last resort for this last minute wedding."

"You did agree to this too, Rhonda."

"Yeah, well I rather marry someone else."

He grew quiet, knowing not to press the issue any further than it needed to be. "So, how is the baby?"

"According to my daily pregnancy tracker app, the size of a blueberry so nothing special yet."

"Don't be like that, Rhonda." He groaned, moving past me to sit down in a leather recliner. He did not fail to swipe a handful of cookies on the way either. "Whether it be a blueberry or the size of a melon, it's still a baby."

_Not yours…_

"How are you about Patty's pregnancy?"

He shrugged, shoveling down a handful of raspberry filled butter cookies. "I'm alright, I just wish things would have happened later but I am happy she is pregnant and I will be a good father to my boys."

"I don't doubt it but what about school?"

He shrugged again. "I can finally go off to college anytime after the boys are born. I have a thriving business and I am happy with that. Not everyone has to go get a bunch of degrees to be well, Rhonda."

"I know, Harold, I was just asking." I forgot how sensitive he could be sometimes. "Well, I am happy for you that Mr. Green finally sold his butcher shop to you after years of interning there. You practically ran the place right after his cancer turned for the worst."

"Yeah, and it wasn't easy either." He beamed with pride for his rare accomplishments. "I like working with my hands and I love being around meat. I know all there is to know about it all, pork, chicken, fish, cow, you name it I know it!"

I smiled, sipping my lukewarm coffee in remembrance of the time he and I were locked in the meat locker. He had just installed a new one and it was crisp, clean, and freezing. He accidentally locked the two of us in after he called me in to help him screw in a last bolt into the door hinge before it abruptly closed. Luckily he had his cell in hick jean pocket and called for help. To keep me warm, we snuggled together against a cube of Styrofoam before I found myself half naked with his head between my thighs.

"Rhonda?" I looked at him in question. "You know, I know things between us aren't exactly…"

"You don't have to say anything, Harold." I dismissed, not wanting to talk about it any further. I rather not reopen old wounds. "We are fine."

"I can tell you feel differently about me, you know. I'm not that dumb, Rhonda."

"Like I said, Harold, just forget about it."

He and I stared at each other for what seemed like hours before there was the loud cackling of August's annoying laugh. I turned around to see Patty emerge with a wide smile I knew all too well with August's arm wrapped around hers. That anger emerged again.

"Is that the groom!?" August screeched, Patty nodding.

August raced over to shake Harold's hand and go on and on about how much she helped his wife-to-be find the perfect dress that would make there early December wedding something memorable. He tried to pry and ask what the dress looked like and how much it was costing him, since Patty did use his credit card to pay for the dress, but August wouldn't budge and simply offered him more generic cookies which he gladly accepted.

"You two look so cute together, like you are meant to be together." I heard August murmur as Patty cradled up to Harold, sealing it with a kiss. Her eyes immediately locked with mine.

"We are, aren't we?"


	2. Starwberry Shampoo

**Chapter theme song: 'Pound Cake/Paris Morgan' by: Drake ft. Jay Z**

**Harold**

Rhonda was beaming, glowing actually. She seemed happiest when she had my American Express card in her hand, sliding it strenuously slow just to mess with me. A sinfully sweet reminder of how much I hurt her. Lately, it seems like all I can do is buy my way to see her smile again. Nothing is the same.

She cut her hair. It's a lot shorter than the waist length curls she often would wear during the summer and early autumn months; she chopping off her raven locks to trade them in for a short, asymmetrical bob with bangs. She looked almost like she did in fourth grade but on a more…sophisticated scale. She looked more mature with her new look, me liking it a lot more than her curls that she had in a high ponytail all the time.

She flashed me another smile, thanking the cashier before grabbing her pink lingerie bag. I found myself wanting to know what was inside, knowing that I wouldn't ever know if I did not ask before she left. Her expensive, foreign heels clacked against the waxed tile of the mall floor; her eyes catching sight of something glittering in her limelight at one of the jewelry stands to her left. The smile I loved came back, her brown eyes widening to the sparkling specs of gold and silver intermingled with the vibrant colors of gemstones. She had her eyes set on a necklace in my favorite color…blue.

"How much?" I asked the Middle-Eastern shop owner. He quoted me the hefty price tag I assumed. I nodded. "Can you wrap it up nicely for her please?"

Rhonda looked at me. "No, it's ok. I was just looking."

"You just don't look, Rhonda. You buy."

She crossed her arms indignantly across her chest. "I was going to send a picture to Thaddeus and have him buy it. I know you have a wedding to pay for."

She knew that would irk me. "I don't have time for your games, Rhonda. Do you want the damn necklace or not?"

"…Yes."

That was that. The shop keeper diverted her gaze back and forth between the two of us before she finally settled the sparkling diamond encrusted necklace in a bed of pink tissue paper. She folded the tissue paper and placed it gently in a gift bag, handing it Rhonda as I handed her a few bills. I was handed my change and receipt and quickly thanked her before walking towards the food court.

I hated when she would toss his name around me when we were together; but yet, I had no right to get even the least bit frustrated. She and I weren't by any means doing anything wrong, but I felt guilty being here with Rhonda, spending money on another woman that was not my future wife, as my _real_ woman lay in bed and got ready for the birth of our sons- my future family.

"You want ice-cream?"

"No, you know I am watching my figure." She replied sharply, enough for me to turn around. "But frozen yogurt will do."

"Why do you think about him when you're with me, Rhonda?"

Silence.

"He is my husband now, Harold." Her voice went down in volume as her heels clacked louder. "I don't know what you want me to do."

_Something…anything…_

"Then why am I here buying you all this crap when you have a perfectly capable husband that can do this for you?" my voice was a little stonier than I had intended it to be but I always did have a hard time hiding my true emotions. "Why did you call me?"

"I called you to see if you wanted to grab coffee, Harold!" she barked. "Not be towed around the mall and pampered with fine, extravagant gifts out of your guilt and pity!"

The stunned me. I wanted to say something else but she turned around and walked into another boutique to calm her nerves and keep control of her temper. I let out a heavy sigh, finding myself perched against a bench after finding my way to the ice-cream shop; wolfing down a four scoop chocolate sundae. I thought back to when we weren't like this, when she looked at me and genuinely loved me and not someone else.

_Rhonda looked so dainty in her satin negligee. She claimed she_ _wasn't an inexperienced virgin but I could tell otherwise. I finally had a one up on Ms. Wellington-Lloyd. It brought a smirk to my face, her blush deepening as she covered herself with her fragile arms._

"_Stop staring at me. I know I am hideous."_

"_You aren't hideous, Rhonda." I whispered, pulling her closer to me. She let out a small squeak as I brought her into a kiss. "You're the most gorgeous woman I have seen in my life."_

"_Then why are you sneaking around with your ex, Patty, all of a sudden?"_

_I growled, not wanting to ruin our moment, our night. "I told you, we are just friends. She moved back after being in Texas for a few years and wanted to reconnect. That is all."_

"_You been spending a lot of time with her lately." She snapped, pushing me off her. "I don't like it and I want it to end, immediately."_

_I rubbed my temples to ebb my frustration. I found solace in the sea of pillows at the head of her king. "Stop this, Rhonda. Please."_

"_You know I'm right."_

"_I know you're wrong." I whispered, closing my eyes. I stayed like that for a moment, listening to the music playlist I had made for tonight. It took me six hours to burn a ten track disc because I had no idea how to work my home computer and got frustrated that I punched the monitor into a stupor. I had to ride the bus downtown to the library to finish it since my car was busted and my dad wouldn't let me drive the car on such late notice. "What are you scared of?"_

"_Her."_

_I opened my eyes this time. "Why her and not me?"_

"_Because the only reason you gave us a shot was because Patty moved to Texas after seventh grade and Curly and I were on a 'break'."_

"_Still doesn't explain why you feel Patty is a threat."_

"_You still love her and don't even know it."_

_I looked at her, watching a usually arrogant, poised, and dominant woman dwindle down into a mere shell of her former self. I never knew how much Rhonda had feelings for me until recently. I was always under the impression that she would only reach out to me when she and Thaddeus would get into a really heated argument and she needed some time away from the creep. His antics were annoying at best, and it was only a matter of time before Rhonda grew irritated and walked past 'go'. _

_It was when Patty emerged back into the picture when I began to finally realize how deep Rhonda's feelings for me truly were. She grew more protective, a little clingier than usual, called a lot often, visited me almost daily, almost anything to be around me much more than she had previously been. At first I found her jealousy to be kind of cute, especially since Rhonda was still that stuck-up, prissy debutante I've known since forever that still refused to even hold my hand in public. Then, it grew to being downright annoying. She would interrupt my lunch dates with Patty, scan my call logs and text messages to the point where I had to put a lock on my phone, and nag me on my whereabouts all…the…time. _

_Patty and I were just friend that wanted to relive our glory days, she even having a boyfriend back in Texas whom she seemed to really care about. Rhonda was just a paranoid mess._

"_Don't you trust me?"_

"_As far as I can throw you."_

_I frowned, finally sitting up to wrap my arms around her waist. I kissed her neck, licking the supple feel of her skin as I inhaled her scent. She smelled of that fancy soap she had bought on sale. "Don't be like that, Rhonda."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Like this." I nipped her skin a little harder, doing my best to leave my mark to claim her as mine…forever. She let out a reluctant moan, careful to not succumb to my will. "I love you."_

"_Don't toss that around like you actually mean it."_

"_But I do." I stood, lifting her with me as I guided her to the bathroom for a steamy shower in more ways than one. "But I do."_

I watched Rhonda emerge from the store with more bags; that smile on her face still wide and shining brightly as it was before the necklace. It made me smile. "What did you buy this time?"

"An outfit for tomorrow's parent-teacher function; I can't be caught dead in the same evening gown twice."

"I still can't believe you are a kindergarten teacher. I never would have guessed you of all people would be in charge of the lives of young children."

"Well since Thaddeus' family wants me to sign a prenup, I have to have my own money for a rainy day right?" she sighed. "Modern men these days; chivalry is truly dead I see."

I laughed, glad she seemed to be herself again. "Did you want frozen yogurt?"

She nodded, leading me towards the frozen yogurt stand and ordering a small berry sundae with plenty of canned nuts. I grabbed two spoons since I know she intended to share with me. I was still hungry. "You seem to be in a better mood than earlier."

She took a large bite of her sundae. "Retail therapy always does it for me."

"I hope my credit card bill won't make me cry like a whiney girl."

She shrugged, giggling. "It won't hurt as much as the black eye Helga gave you back in eighth grade for calling her a lesbian."

I frowned at the memory. God I hated Helga Pataki. "It was an honest mistake! Anyone would have thought the same if they looked at the amount of time she and Phoebe spent together."

Rhonda shook her head. There was a momentary spell of quiet before she spoke. "How is Patty?"

I stopped breathing. "She's fine."

Rhonda nodded slowly, picking her next words carefully. "She is labor yet?"

"Doctors predict any day now."

"I'm sure she will be happy when it's all over." She paused to eat more of her yogurt. "Her wedding dress will look even more terrific on her fabulous shape."

I sighed, putting down my spoon. I knew all too well where this was headed. "Rhonda, look, I know we haven't talked about what happened but I don't know what else to say other than I apologize."

"I already forgave you."

"Then why do you insist on making things incredibly awkward by bringing up my relationship with Patty?"

She immediately grew defensive. "So I can't ask about her now?" I shook my head, telling her that wasn't the case. "What is it then? If I can't ask about Patty because you feel guilty then maybe we should reconsider us being friends."

"Then why do you keep doing this to me? To us?" I responded back, my voice sullen. "You need to let this anger you have go."

"I can't until I rid myself of everything that reminds me of you." She quipped back with sudden anger. "I don't do anything to "us" because there is no "us"; courtesy of you and that…that…bitch!"

My ears perked up slightly at that word. Rhonda knew how much I hated swearing. I also hated calling females that word. My father would throw that around my mother later in their marriage before they decided to split and it always left a foul taste in my mouth. I especially hated it when she called Patty that. She and I got into a heated argument about it before when she said it the very first time. "Don't call my wife a bitch, Rhonda."

"She is one!"

"Rhonda, you're testing my patience."

"And you're pissing me off defending her!"

"She's my wife!" I yelled, standing full height.

She matched me. "Only because she stole you from me!" Rhonda began to quiver. "…She stole you…"

I watched helplessly as Rhonda pushed herself further away from me and demanded I take her home. She fumbled throughout her purse to retrieve a stack of paper receipts from her shopping spree; shoving them towards me and asking me to return everything she had purchased. I couldn't even get a single word out before she turned away from me and began marching towards the south exit. I stared at the plethora of bags for a moment before I made my final decision to keep them all. If she dare ask why, I just tell her because I don't return gifts for anyone…not even her.

I wrapped my scarf around my neck and braced myself for the bitter October air that Patty had cautioned me about earlier this morning before I left for work. I had recently started an internship program in my butcher shop to help the disadvantaged youth of Hillwood. It keeps the kids off the streets and out of my shop trying to steal hundred dollar prime cuts of meat for shits and giggles. I originally started it for the purpose of feeling self-righteous but eventually found myself loving the decision and noticing how much of an impact it made to these kids; many who didn't have much to begin with.

I intended on stopping by the shop just to check on progress since I left my newly promoted manager, Eddy, in charge when I had gotten a call from Rhonda asking me if I was busy. I had told her I was just going in the shop to see how my new manager was working out when she asked if we could grab lunch or coffee. I smiled at her offer, feeling like it was old times again before I had agreed to pick her up in an hour.

I found myself not wanting to leave her or our time behind at our local coffee shop so I decided to take her shopping since its one of her favorite pastimes. It gave me an excuse to spend time with the woman who over the years has grown to despise me. I loved her though…still do.

"Unlock the car, Harold." She ordered, shaking violently against the bitter frost of the early evening air. She huffed loudly. "Why do you still have those bags?"

"They're yours." I replied sharply, throwing both handfuls in the trunk before opening her majesty's door to shield her from the cold. I watched her rub her hands together and nestle deep inside her seat to keep warm. I quickly did the same when I got inside the car, sticking the keys inside the ignition.

Rhonda took it upon herself to start the car and turn on the heat. "Much better."

"Glad your majesty approves."

She didn't care much for how the sarcasm dripped like arsenic. "Take me home, Harold."

"I'm not doing anything until you calm down and tell me why you are so angry all of a sudden."

"I want to be in my bed with _my husband_ and not some two-timing asshole like you, Harold!"

"How am I cheating on Patty, Rhonda!?" my voice rose a few octaves.

Patty was a soft spoken, kind, sweet woman that occasionally got flustered. We barely argued because she kept it all in- even if it was highly toxic for her health- and when we did argue it was always brief and not dramatic. When I argued with Rhonda, it was always heated, angry, and violent. We would never physically hit each other but would get awfully close to either me shaking her or she slapping me with a glass bottle. It got so intense one time, the neighbors called the police in fear of it being a domestic violence case.

"I'm not cheating on my wife, but clearly you are cheating on your husband!"

"I love, Thaddeus!" she roared, getting in my face. Her cute, button eyes flared with that familiar anger that aroused my core. I felt myself stiffen, the flowery scent of her perfume bombarding me against the heat of the car. "I am not cheating on him!"

"You still have feelings for me, Rhonda. You don't love him, you love me."

"Harold!" she tried to hit me but I grabbed her wrists.

"You are angry over something that happened in college, Rhonda! It's time to move on learn to let go."

"Let go of me!"

I brought her struggling form against me, pressing her body against mine to embrace her in an overdue hug I knew she needed. As angry as I was at Rhonda for making this mess and causing a gigantic scene, I knew she was only hurting because of me…

"I swear to God, Harold, I will knock ten pounds off you if you do not release me at once!"

"Rhonda…let it go."

"Harold!"

"Let it go, Rhonda." My voice simmered into a low whisper, a featherlike kiss being placed atop her head as her movements became less erratic. After a short while, she stopped fighting it and let herself grow numb against my touch; allowing me to just hold her, rock her gently to the quiet humming of my car's heater and Marvin Gaye. I don't know how long we lasted like that, but I know she drifted off to sleep at one point. I just quietly watched her, petting her soft, raven hair as I inhaled the scent of her shampoo. It was strawberry.

_It was strawberry…_


End file.
